


Sunrises

by carpetsocks



Category: The Order of the Stick
Genre: Developing Relationship, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Other, Sunrises, making moves, out of character or hidden depths
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 10:15:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29169438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carpetsocks/pseuds/carpetsocks
Summary: Neither of them can sleep, but it's almost dawn anyway.
Relationships: Belkar Bitterleaf/Vaarsuvius
Kudos: 4





	Sunrises

“The sun isn’t even up and you want me to do what now?”

The raven hopped into the tent. “V is going for a walk, but they haven’t prepared their spells for the day yet, and there’s monsters out there.”

Belkar adjusted the blanket over his feet and fell back onto his pillow. “And you think V will want me tagging along why?”

“I mean, you’re friends, right? Just say you couldn’t sleep either.”

“I don’t know,” Belkar said. There was a sort of camaraderie between him and the elf these days, but saying that they were friends seemed like some huge change he couldn’t backtrack from.

“Come on, please. I’ll watch Scruffy.”

Belkar groaned and took his daggers from under his pillow. “Fine. But if I get fireballed in the face first thing in the morning, I’ll eat you for breakfast, got it?”

“Understood.” Blackwing hopped over to the sleeping cat and snuggled against the fluffy fur. Belkar tied his cloak around his shoulders as he left.

The faint pink light from V’s eyes reflected against the metal of the cooking pot. The elf looked over their shoulder as they heard the crunch of the leaves under Belkar’s feet.

“Why are you awake at this hour?” They asked. The sky was just barely lighter over the tops of the trees.

“Could ask you the same thing.” Belkar sat by the fire, checking that he was a safe distance away from V. “I couldn’t sleep,” he explained finally when the elf didn’t respond, “Decided to go for a walk.”

“Would you be bothered if I accompanied you?” V asked. Belkar felt a blush creeping up his face. V wanted to spend time with him. No, there had to be some other reason. He was glad that the wizard had looked back at the ashes of last night’s fire.

“It’s fine with me, but I’m gonna hike to the top of that hill to watch the sunrise, don’t slow me down.”

“I won’t.” V stood up and brushed themself off.

Belkar led the way into the forest, trying to find the easiest path. V stayed behind him until the trees thinned and disappeared. The dirt turned to rock under their feet and Belkar stopped. “Huh, you think that quarry is haunted or something?”

V picked their way closer to the edge. “Doubtable. However, it does seem highly unstable and I recommend that we use caution.”

“Yeah duh. Back up a bit, you’re making me nervous.”

V smiled a little and took a few steps back. “Shall we proceed to the top of the hill?”

Belkar led the way around the quarry, keeping a safe distance from the edge. The sun had just breached the horizon behind them as they reached the top of the hill. Belkar hopped up on a rock. “This looks like a nice place.”

V leaned on the rock for a moment, and then clambered up as gracefully as they could to sit beside him. The rough fabric of their cloak brushed against his arm as they pulled it tight around them. Belkar looked away, his hands shaking in his lap and that darn blush rushing across his face again when their shoulders bumped a few times.

V looked over the valley behind them, ears twitching. “There’s a waterfall somewhere near here,” they said.

“Yeah, I can smell it.” Belkar leaned forward, elbows on his knees. His hand was barely an inch from V’s leg, but the elf didn’t move.

“You’re shaking. Are you cold?” The concern in V’s eyes ran deeper than politeness and Belkar fought back the urge to lean even the tiniest bit towards them.

“Little bit,” he lied, heat pumping through his body and up to his face as he turned back to the sunset, hoping that V couldn’t see it. He could barely keep his mind on his surroundings; V had stolen all his attention.

There was a pause and Belkar could feel the elf tense. He glanced sideways at them, right as they reached for his hands. They wrapped theirs around his, and put them in their lap, eyes never leaving the sunset.

Forget friends. V’s ears were turning pink and Belkar grinned and scooted a little closer.

“Don’t push it,” V said.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Belkar said happily, relishing the warmth of V’s robes against his side.

The elf slowly put one edge of their cloak around him and rested their arm on his shoulders. He blinked against the light as the sun cleared the horizon.

“So you do like me,” he teased after several minutes.

“Or perhaps I simply wanted to ensure you were properly protected against the cold.”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

V blushed and looked away. “I do not believe I am ready for any sort of relationship.”

“Yeah, me neither,” Belkar murmured, leaning against the elf, “We don’t have to make that jump. What happens, happens.”

V looked down at him and he smiled at the reassured expression on their face. “I approve,” they whispered.

He was tempted to kiss them, but there was a hesitation in their eyes that made him change his mind and snuggle closer. “Good,” he replied.

They stayed on the rock until he could smell the smoke from their campsite.


End file.
